T-Team @ Home — Hallett Cove

[More nostalgia, this time when the K-Team from Switzerland visited my home town, Adelaide, and I, as the T-Team’s sole representative, helped show our visitors around the beautiful places so close to my home.

Many thanks to Mohamad Al Karbi for giving me the opportunity to share the T-Team’s life and adventures in South Australia.]

Prehistoric Hallett Cove 
Good Friday 2017

Mr. K (my husband) and I parked ourselves on the lawns near the Hallett Cove foreshore. I sat on my towel and looked around at the families enjoying their picnics, and dogs chasing frisbees.

‘Well, where are they?’ I asked.

‘I bet they’re late,’ Mr. K muttered.

We waited, breathing in the sea-air on the gentle breeze, admiring the sparkle on the deep blue water, the emerald-green grass, and the rugged coastline. Then I closed my eyes, lay on the towel and napped.

After some minutes, I remarked, ‘They’re taking their time.’

Mr. K pulled out his mobile phone and tapped in a text.

We waited some more. My husband shook his head.

I spotted two familiar K-Team vehicles winding their way down the hill and then, fifty-metres away, parking.

I pointed. ‘They’re here.’

As the occupants of the K-Cars spilled out onto the footpath, Mr. K received a text. He wagged his head again.

‘What?’ I asked.

‘They want to know where we are.’

‘Can’t they see us?’

Mr. K chuckled. ‘Let’s see how long it takes.’

We watched as the not-so-distant K-relatives milled about like sheep on the grassy slopes.

Mr. K’s brother, P1 put the phone to his ear.

Mr. K’s phone rang and he answered, ‘We’re here.’ Then he took a few steps towards the K-Crowd.

They turned and walked away. We waved at them, shouting, ‘We’re here! Hoy!’

One of our Swiss visitors stopped, turned and looked. Then he nudged P1 who was still had his phone fixed to his ear.

Soon after, the lost K-Sheep had found us.

We trooped down the end of the road past the café to where the walk into geological history begins. A parting of ways of Australia from Antarctica many eons ago, erosion and a glacier, had carved a slice through the landscape exposing multi-layers of geological history. We hiked through land that appeared to be a scene stolen from some Sci-Fi set.

Plaques along the way explained what happened, how long ago these features formed and what eras the layers of rocks represented. Websites such as the following : http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_Park/Browse_by_region/Adelaide/hallett-cove-conservation-park, do a better job of explaining all the technical details than I would ever do.

I was more intrigued with the form, texture and photogenic beauty of the Hallett Cove Conservation Park. Here are some aspects captured:

Having completed the walk through this most unusual park, the T-K-Team ventured to the sea shore.

Waves lapped the sand and crashed against the rocks at the point. Fishermen on the rocks at the point, tried their luck for snapper, garfish or whatever the Gulf of St. Vincent was offering on Good Friday.

‘The tide’s coming in,’ I explained to our visitors. ‘You can see the waves are swamping and coming further in each time.’

We stood and watched the waves. Mesmerised.

[Photos 8 & 9: Birdseye view of Cove water © L.M. Kling 2017]

Then the K-Team climbed over the rocks around the point. A hidden cove awaited us there; our reward for the effort. Small rock-holes promised fish and crabs. A gathering of stones and shells offered treasures for collectors.

The K-Team scrambled over the boulders to a cave. A young couple seemed to own that cave for this Good Friday. On the ledge nearby, a family gathered the remnants of a picnic, and their children who were reluctant to leave this perfect place.

We perched on rocks and gazed out to sea—the waves again and again rose like mountains and then with a heave, crashed into the rocks. Tempting to sit and stay forever, lost in time.

‘The tide’s coming in,’ I said. ‘Best not stay too long or we’d be stuck here.’
But for a time, no one moved.

© Lee-Anne Marie Kling 2017; Updated 2019
Feature photo: K-Team, Hallett Cove © Lee-Anne Marie Kling 2017

***

Dreaming of an Aussie Adventure?

Click the link below:

Trekking With the T-Team: Central Australian Safari 1981,

To download your Amazon Kindle copy of the story…
And escape in time and space to Centre of Australia 1981…